http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8315605.stm

Now, if the talks are so important and delicate, wouldn't Mandy be better not raising tensions?

Don't get me wrong, he's correct on a lot of points here, but does anyone actually believe he has the interests of anyone other than those involved in the business deals he'd like to broker at heart?

I did not know that.

I can understand people wanting to strike, but I've never understood what they hope to actually achieve. Most strikes occur during a period of depression when a company is struggling and having to make cutbacks. Striking is likely to exasperate the situation and potentially lead to closures and increased job losses.

Didn't do a lot of good for the miners, as I recall.

I'd missed that one myself

Depends what his mission is. If it is to break the Post Office and remove the monopoly on handling letters, then I’d say he’s on a roll. If it’s to make the Post Office commercially viable for part privatisation, we can chalk it up to another LabCon FAIL.

That's sort of what I was getting at - for what the public use and want RM for, Mandy's a cnut either way

I was listening to a BBC podcast yesterday and the Post office came up for debate. One business man blamed the government for the mess. By stripping the Post Office of funds during the 90's the pension deficit increased and made the whole business un-viable in its present form. He compared it to the Dutch who kept funding the business and it is consequently in a much better shape. This is down to Gordon I am afraid. His demands for money to spend on the NHS helped create this problem. If it comes back to bite him on the bum so be it. He deserves it.

Fails to notice an impact on service.

Scratches head.

That's because the actual postmen aren't on strike today. Today, all the people who move the post between depots are on strike. The postmen are on strike tomorrow, so you won't get any post then. Arguably it would be pointless for them to come in to work tomorrow anyway, as the only post they would have to deliver is that which has been posted to an address serviced by the same sorting office. All the rest of it wouldn't have been moved by the people who are striking today.

Jon

Came across this on Phil Jupitus' Twitter feed, thought it made for interesting reading:

http://www.lrb.co.uk/v31/n18/maya01_.html

I know. Didn’t get any post today, or yesterday. Last week I had to report an item of post going missing. I’d be more sympathetic if they actually worked - you know, get post delivered on time. In the past I have had to ask clients to get post delivered using their signed for service if they wanted it to get to me on time.

Our company has today decided to use an alternative postal service provider. I suspect we're not alone in vowing never to trust these work-shy b&stards again.

Two more days of strikes

Friday 6th and Monday 9th, everybody this time.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8333190.stm

I'm sure you've made Peter Mandelson very happy.

Jon

As reported by Private Eye 2 weeks ago, last year Royal Mail made £321m, and it's MD takes home £3m....so it's not like they're in dire straits so badly that they can't concede some of the points to the unions.